Best Pike Fishing Spots OSRS Max Efficiency Guide

Pike fishing in Old School RuneScape hits different when you’re knee-deep in that early game grind. I’ve spent countless hours rod in hand, chasing those slippery bastards for quests, cooking levels, or just to sell for a quick buck. As someone who’s maxed fishing twice over on my main and ironman accounts, I can tell you this: picking the right spot isn’t just about the bite rate. It’s about banks, travel time, and dodging those pesky random events that used to ruin my vibe back in 2007. If you’re staring at your inventory wondering where to drop a line for pikes, stick with me. We’ll break down every spot worth your time, from F2P classics to those hidden P2P gems.

Ever catch yourself scrolling the GE, seeing raw pikes sitting at a decent price, and think, “Why not farm these myself?” That’s how it started for me. Pikes aren’t flashy like sharks or lobsters, but they’re your gateway to level 25 fishing and a staple for quests like the one in Lumbridge Swampy. Plus, they’re bait fishing, so no feathers eating your gp like trout spots do.

I remember my first serious pike session. It was a rainy afternoon, or at least it felt that way in my dimly lit room, and I was fresh off Tutorial Island. Lumbridge seemed obvious, right? Wrong. Turns out, the real money and XP come from spots with banks nearby. Cook ’em up, bank ’em quick, repeat. Over the years, I’ve pulled in thousands of pikes, funding everything from rune armor upgrades to my first bond. They’re reliable, low-risk, and perfect for AFK vibes if you time it right.

But here’s a question: are you grinding for XP, gold, or just completionism? If it’s XP, focus on high-traffic spots. Gold? Hunt the sellable ones. And if it’s that sweet, sweet quest progress, well, we’ve got you covered below.

Gear Up Before You Cast

Before we dive into locations, let’s talk kit. You don’t need a fancy dragon harpoon for pikes. Keep it simple.

Essential Items for Pike Fishing:

• Fishing Rod: Grab one from the fishing shops in Lumbridge or Port Sarim. Costs next to nothing.
• Fishing Bait: Stock up on 1k or more. They’re cheap, but they vanish fast.
• Optional: Graceful Outfit: For those longer runs to banks. Trust me, after 500 pikes, your energy matters.
• A Bucket or Two: If you’re cooking on the fly to save inventory space.

Pro tip from my ironman runs: always pack a knife for cutting open those random clues that pop up. Lost a full inventory to a mime event once. Never again.

Requirements? Just 25 fishing. No quests for most spots, but a few P2P ones sneak in some barriers. If you’re underleveled, grind shrimp first. Easy peasy.

F2P Pike Fishing Spots That Won’t Waste Your Time

Free-to-play life is tough, but pike spots make it bearable. No membership walls here, just pure Gielinor rivers. I’ve banked more pikes from these than I care to count, especially during my noob days when every gp counted.

Barbarian Village The Unsung Hero

Ah, Barbarian Village. If I had to pick one F2P spot to tattoo on my arm, it’d be this. Tucked east of Varrock, right on the River Lum’s east bank. You hop off the cart from Varrock, cross that rickety bridge, and boom, spots galore.

Why’s it king? Proximity to the bank. The Varrock west bank is a 30-second jog. Cast, reel, bank, repeat. I once did a 2-hour session here and hit level 30 fishing without breaking a sweat. Catch rate’s solid too, around 40-50 pikes per hour with steady hands.

But it’s not perfect. Cons include random barbarian PKers if you’re on a busy world, and the spots respawn slowly if someone’s hogging them. Bring a friend or hop worlds.

Quick story: Early on, I was fishing here for the Cook’s Assistant quest. Some level 3 skiller griefed my spot by splashing water. Laughed it off, reported, and kept grinding. Builds character, right?

Nearby Features:

• Bank: Varrock West (fast access).
• Shop: None, but GE’s close for bait restocks.
• Travel: Games necklace to Barbarian Outpost, then run south.

If you’re F2P and hate walking, this spot’s your best bet.

Lumbridge The Beginner Magnet

Lumbridge. Home of noobs and goblins. But for pikes? It’s the center of the River Lum, east side, right by the castle. Super central, which is why every fresh account hits it first.

Catch rate: Decent, maybe 35-45 per hour. Not as zippy as Barbarian Village, but the bank in Lumbridge Castle is upstairs, like 20 seconds away. Perfect for cooking runs too, since there’s a range right there.

I used to park here during lunch breaks back in high school. Easy to dip in for 20 minutes, cook half, sell half at the GE portal. Made enough for my first steel armor set.

Downsides? Crowded as hell. Tutorial Island escapees everywhere, bumping your line. And if a dragon attacks the castle (rare, but happens), chaos ensues.

Lumbridge Pike Spot Quick Stats:

Ever tried fishing here during a clan event? Total madness, but the stories are gold.

For F2P purists, these two spots cover 90% of your needs. Alternate between them to avoid burnout. Trust me, staring at the same river bend for hours gets old fast.

P2P Pike Spots Unlocking Next-Level Grinds

Once you slap down that bond or sub, the world opens up. Pike spots get fancier, with quests and shortcuts thrown in. I’ve quested through most of these on my main, turning what could be a snooze-fest into efficient XP farms.

Shilo Village Your Tropical Escape

Shilo Village screams “vacation grind.” Down in Karamja, post-Shilo Village quest (which, side note, is a slog but worth it for the bank access). Spots are scattered around the village’s river sections.

Why go? Bank’s right in town, and there’s a fishing shop for emergency bait. Catch rate bumps to 50+ per hour, and the area’s chill, no PK drama.

Personal fave: I did my 99 fishing push here during a heatwave. AC blasting, tropical vibes on screen. Pulled 1k pikes in a day, all banked without teleporting once.

But watch out: Spots are spread out, so walking between them eats time. Agility helps, but it’s not mandatory.

Shilo Pros & Cons List:

• Pros:
  • Super close bank.
  • Fishing emporium next door.
  • Decent for fly fishing trout/salmon too.
• Cons:
  • Quest-locked (Shilo Village req).
  • Hot and humid… wait, that’s IRL Karamja jokes.

If you’re in the area for Tai Bwo Wannai cleanup, tack on a pike session. Multitasking at its finest.

Tree Gnome Stronghold A Leafy Haven

Spirit trees and agility shortcuts? Sign me up. In the south-west corner, near Brimstail’s cave and those terrorbirds that always freak me out.

Spots hug the river, with the gnome bank a stone’s throw away. Hourly yield: 45-55 pikes, easy.

I brought my ironman here for early cooking levels. The gnome gliders make travel a breeze from anywhere. One run: fished 300 pikes, cooked ’em on the nearby fire, banked. Felt like a pro.

Question for you: hate running? This spot’s shortcuts will change your life. 33 Agility unlocks a log balance over the river, shaving minutes off each trip.

Access Tips:

1. Teleport to gnome glider (Al Kharid start).
2. Run south-west.
3. Fish, bank, profit.

Not the fastest, but the scenery beats staring at Lumbridge mud.

East Ardougne Urban Angler Paradise

North of East Ardougne, under that big willow tree. Two spots right there, bait or lure your heart out.

Bank run: Cross the river, but with 33 Agility, it’s a log shortcut hop. Otherwise, 1 minute walk.

This one’s my go-to for mid-level grinds. I remember chaining it with East Ard Dougne teleports from my amulet of glory. Non-stop action, 50 pikes/hour easy.

Strong point: Low competition. Most players chase monksfish nearby, leaving pikes to us savvy folks.

Cons? City noise from guards yelling. Minor, but immersive.

Fishing Guild West River The Sell-Happy Spot

West of the Fishing Guild, that winding river. No bank nearby, but Rasolo the wandering merchant buys fish on sight. Perfect if you’re anti-banking.

XP focus: Bait cost cancels with sales, so pure gains. I tested this on a throwaway account, hit 7k XP/hour without inventory management.

But if you need to bank? Teleport to guild and run. Not ideal for cooking runs.

When to Use:

• Pure XP chaser.
• Hate inventory tetris.
• Nearby for guild minigame breaks.

Entrana The Peaceful But Painful Pick

On Entrana island, no weapons allowed, pure zen. Spots by the docks.

Catch: Relaxing, 40 pikes/hour.

Pain: Bank’s in Port Sarim, a boat ride away. I tried a full day here once. Beautiful views, but banking killed the flow. Only for roleplayers or penance runners.

Skip unless you’re questing.

Between Seers’ Village and Sinclair Mansion Quick Northern Hit

Camlann River, between those spots. Camelot tele close, bank in Seers’ a jog.

Solid 45/hour, low crowds. I popped here during Camelot training. Quick, efficient, forgotten gem.

Observatory North of Castle Wars Desert Detour

South of Ardougne, north of Castle Wars. Spots by the observatory.

Bank’s far, but Castle Wars lodestone helps. 40/hour, okay for variety.

I used it post-questing. Meh, but beats nothing.

Isafdar The Trap-Filled Nightmare

Deep elves territory, post-Regicide. Spots in the forest.

Bank? Through deadly traps. I did it once for completion. Nearly died to leaves. Avoid.

Quest-Locked Oddballs Water Ravine and Fisher Realm

Spirits of the Elid dungeon? Niche, no bank.

Fisher Realm via Holy Grail? Same deal.

These are “I did it so you don’t have to” spots. XP’s fine, but hassle city.

Hosidius River The Kourend Contender

In Great Kourend‘s Hosidius house, along the river. Post-client of kourend favor, bank’s in the area.

Yield: 50/hour, with nearby cooking ranges. I grinded favor here, pikes as side hustle. Underrated for multi-resource days.

Comparison Table: Top P2P Pike Spots

Maximizing Your Pike Hauls Tips from a Vet

Okay, spots covered. Now, how to crush it? First, world hopping. Busy worlds mean slow respawns. Pick quiet ones, like 300+.

Second, burn rate. Cook half your catch. Pikes burn till 64, but with gauntlets, it’s smooth. I skipped so many levels by cooking riverside.

Third, boosts. Fish pie for +3 levels if you’re pushing quests.

Ever wondered about AFK fishing? Pikes aren’t great for it, spots move too much. But in Shilo, you can semi-AFK with good timing.

Long para time: Let me tell you about my craziest pike day. It was during a double XP weekend, years back. Started in Barbarian Village at dawn, switched to Lumbridge for lunch, then bonded up and tele’d to Shilo. By midnight, I’d fished 2k pikes, cooked 1.5k, sold the rest. Woke up to 2m gp and 50k XP. Felt like a god. That ONE grind taught me pacing: short bursts in crowded spots, long hauls in privates. Mix bait with small talk in local chat. Builds community, you know?

Short para: Oh, and don’t forget feathers. Wait, no, bait only. Rookie mistake I made thrice.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

Newbies, listen up. Don’t overload bait. 500 max per trip, or you’ll waste space.

Ignore randoms at your peril. That genie? Steals your rod. Stock anti-poison just in case.

And PKers in wildy-adjacent spots? Bank often.

Question: Struggling with burns? Practice on lower fish first.

Wrapping Up Your Pike Adventure

There you have it, every pike spot from Lumbridge murk to Shilo sands. Whether F2P scraping by or P2P balling, these locations turned my fishing from chore to cash cow. My ironman’s 99? Half from pikes. Your turn.

What’s your go-to spot? Drop a comment, share your hauls. Tight lines, friends. Keep grinding.

From the wiki, spots like Barbarian Village shine for accessibility.